Shower curtain mounting device

ABSTRACT

A shower curtain mounting device includes: a pair of wall brackets; a pair of joints, each of which is pivoted and is rotatable about an axis relative to a respective one of the wall brackets and each of which has a tubular rod connecting part; and a shower curtain rod extending in a transverse direction relative to the axis into the rod connecting parts of the joints.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a shower curtain mounting device, moreparticular to a shower curtain mounting device having a pair of wallbrackets and a pair of joints pivoted respectively to the wall brackets.

2. Description of the Related Art

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a conventional shower curtain mounting device1 includes two wall brackets 14 and a shower curtain rod 13. Whenmounting the conventional shower curtain mounting device 1 to twoopposite walls 15 above a rim 16 of a bathtub 11, it is normallyaccomplished by mounting a shower curtain 12 on a shower curtain rod 13,fixing two ends of the shower curtain rod 13 to the two wall brackets14, respectively, and then mounting the two wall brackets 14 to theopposite walls 15. The conventional shower curtain mounting device 1 isdisadvantageous in that, since the wall brackets 14 and the showercurtain rod 13 cooperatively form a straight line-shaped structure, ashower space 17 enclosed by the shower curtain 12 suspended on thestraight shower curtain rod 13 is limited. Furthermore, since the showercurtain rod 13 is required to be assembled with the wall brackets 14prior to mounting of the shower curtain mounting device 1 to theopposite walls 15, the mounting of the shower curtain mounting device 1is laborious and inconvenient due to the weight and size of theassembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a showercurtain mounting device that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacksassociated with the prior art.

Accordingly, a shower curtain mounting device of the present inventioncomprises: a pair of wall brackets; a pair of joints, each of which ispivoted and is rotatable about an axis relative to a respective one ofthe wall brackets and each of which has a tubular rod connecting part;and a shower curtain rod extending in a transverse direction relative tothe axis into the rod connecting parts of the joints.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional shower curtain mountingdevice;

FIG. 2 is a top view to illustrate how the conventional shower curtainmounting device of FIG. 1 is mounted to two opposite walls above abathtub;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary schematic side view of the conventional showercurtain mounting device in a state of use;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of ashower curtain mounting device according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an assembled perspective view of the preferred embodiment in astate of use;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary partly cross-sectional view of the preferredembodiment in a state of use;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary schematic side view of the preferred embodimentillustrating how a shower curtain rod is pivoted relative to a wallbracket;

FIG. 8 is a schematic top view to show a comparison between spacesenclosed respectively by shower curtains on the shower curtain mountingdevice of the preferred embodiment and on the conventional showercurtain mounting device of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary schematic side view of the preferred embodimentin a state of use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 9, the preferred embodiment of a shower curtainmounting device 2 according to the present invention is shown to includea pair of wall brackets 21, a pair of joints 22, and a shower curtainrod 13 for suspending a shower curtain 12. Each of the joints 22 ispivoted and is rotatable about an axis (Y) relative to a respective oneof the wall brackets 21. Each of the joints 22 has a tubular rodconnecting part 222. The shower curtain rod 13 extends in a transversedirection (X) relative to the axis (Y) into the rod connecting parts 222of the joints 22. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, each of the joints 22 canpivotally rotate relative to the respective one of the wall brackets 21,which are mounted to two opposite walls 15. Insertion of the showercurtain rod 13 into the rod connecting parts 222 of the joints 22 can beconducted after the wall brackets 21 and the joints 22 are mounted tothe opposite walls 15, respectively.

In this embodiment, each of the wall brackets 21 includes asemi-spherical body 213 protruding axially relative to the axis (Y)therefrom as shown in FIG. 4. Each of the joints 22 further has abracket connecting part 221 defining a recess 224 for extension of thesemi-spherical body 213 therein so as to permit the joint 22 to besleeved rotatably on the respective wall bracket 21.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the shower curtain mounting device 2 furtherincludes a pair of pivot screws 24. Each of the pivot screws 24 extendsthrough the bracket connecting part 221 of a respective one of thejoints 22 and into the semi-spherical body 213 of a respective one ofthe wall brackets 21 to engage threadedly the semi-spherical body 213 soas to permit rotation of the respective joint 22 about the pivot screw24 as shown in FIG. 7. Hence, after the wall brackets 21 and the joints22 are mounted to the opposite walls 15, the rod connecting parts 222 ofthe joints 22 on the opposite walls 15 can be rotated a small angle soas to receive end portions of the shower curtain rod 13 therein.

In the preferred embodiment, the rod connecting part 222 of each of thejoints 22 is formed with a screw hole 25′, and is provided with afastening screw 25 extending into and through the screw hole 25′ to abutagainst the shower curtain rod 13.

Each of the wall brackets 21 further includes a base 211. Thesemi-spherical body 213 protrudes axially from the base 211. The bracketconnecting part 221 of each of the joints 22 has an end face 223. Theshower curtain mounting device 2 further includes a pair of gaskets 26,each of which is sandwiched between the base 211 of a respective one ofthe wall brackets 21 and the end face 223 of the bracket connecting part221 of the respective one of joints 22. Preferably, the base 211 of eachof the wall brackets 21 and each of the joints 22 are L-shaped as shownin FIGS. 4 to 6.

In the preferred embodiment, each of the wall brackets 21 is formed withtwo screw holes 23′ in the base 211 and is provided with two screws 23extending into and through the screw holes 23′ so as to fasten the wallbrackets 21 to the opposite walls 15.

As shown in FIG. 8, since the shower curtain mounting device 2 has aU-shaped structure, the shower space 18 enclosed by the shower curtain12 suspended on the shower curtain mounting device 2 is larger than theshower space 17 enclosed by the conventional shower curtain mountingdevice 1.

With the inclusion of the joints 22, that can rotate relative to thewall brackets 21, in the shower curtain mounting device 2 of thisinvention, the aforesaid drawbacks associated with the prior art can bealleviated.

While the present invention has been described in connection with whatis considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included withinthe spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompassall such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

1. A shower curtain mounting device comprising: a pair of wall brackets;a pair of joints, each of which is pivoted and is rotatable about anaxis relative to a respective one of said wall brackets and each ofwhich has a tubular rod connecting part; and a shower curtain rodextending in a transverse direction relative to said axis into said rodconnecting parts of said joints.
 2. The shower curtain mounting deviceof claim 1, wherein each of said wall brackets includes a semi-sphericalbody protruding axially relative to said axis therefrom, each of saidjoints further having a bracket connecting part defining a recess forextension of said semi-spherical body therein so as to permit each ofsaid joint to be sleeved rotatably on the respective one of said wallbrackets.
 3. The shower curtain mounting device of claim 2, furthercomprising a pair of pivot screws, each of which extends through saidbracket connecting part of a respective one of said joints and into saidsemi-spherical body of a respective one of said wall brackets to engagethreadedly said semi-spherical body so as to permit rotation of therespective one of said joints about said pivot screw.
 4. The showercurtain mounting device of claim 1, wherein said rod connecting part ofeach of said joints is formed with a screw hole, and is provided with afastening screw extending into and through said screw hole to abutagainst said shower curtain rod.
 5. The shower curtain mounting deviceof claim 2, wherein each of said wall brackets further includes a base,said semi-spherical body protruding axially from said base, said bracketconnecting part of each of said joints having an end face, said showercurtain mounting device further comprising a pair of gaskets, each ofwhich is sandwiched between said base of a respective one of said wallbrackets and said end face of said bracket connecting part of arespective one of said joints.
 6. The shower curtain mounting device ofclaim 2, wherein each of said wall brackets further includes an L-shapedbase, said semi-spherical body protruding axially from said base, eachof said joints being L-shaped.